Overhead garage door



Sept. 27, 1932. w. D. FERRIS 1,879,798

. OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR I Filed Oct. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EU/endow WD. [20 MB Patented Sept. 27, 1 932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM D. FERRIS, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANTZ MANUFACTURING 00., OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR Application filed October 8, 1930. Serial No. 487,112.

This invention relates to garage doors, and more particularly to those that swing or slide into an overhead position when opened.

Generally stated, the object of the inven tion is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby an overhead opening door is supported preferably by arms that are pivoted at one end to a stationary support, at or close to the floor of the garage or other building, and are pivoted at their other ends to the door at points some distance above the floor, whereby these arms occupy-an inclined position when the door is closed, and are substantially vertical when the door is in its overhead open position.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general etficiency and the desirability of an overhead opening door of this particular character. 1

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section on line 1-1 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, showing the door in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the door' in open position, and showing certain portions broken away for convenience of illustration;

Fig. 3 is an inside View of the door and other parts shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of a portion of the apparatus.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises, as one example thereof, a door 1 which is rigid from its upper to its lower edge, and which has its upper corners provided with wheels or rollers 2 that travel in the horizon' tal tracks 3 overhead. 7

The arms 4 have their upper and forward ends pivoted at 5 on the inner side of the door, at opposite sides of the doorway. The lower and rear ends of these arms 4 are pivoted at 6 on bracket bearings 7, secured to the floor. The short arms 8 are each rigid with one of the long arms 4, and coil springs 9 connect the arms 8 with the brackets 10, secured to the floor. Holes 11 in the arms 8 provide for some adjustment of the springs, to change or regulate the pull of the springs on the arms. Thus, by this adjusting means the tension of the sprlngs can be changed or varied, and the leverage can also be changed or varied, in accordance with the weight of the door or other conditions.

With this construction, when the upper end of the door is pushed inwardly, from the outside, or from the inside, the wheels Joe or rollers 2 will travel along the tracks 3,

and this upward motion of the door will be assisted by the springs 9, whereby the door will easily move into the horizontal and open position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. *Therefore, in the closed position of the door,

the arms 4 occupy oblique positions, but when the door is in its open position, these arms are substantially vertical.

When it is desired to close the door, the door is pulled downward from its overhead position, by any suitable means, and the springs 9 will ease the door gently into closed the combination of a. door, horizontally disposed tracks, engaging means on the upper corner portions of the door to support the door for upward and inward movement on said tracks away froin the doorway, with the upper edge of the door practically always in the same horizontal plane, an arm having an upper end pivoted on the inner side of the door ata'point some distance above the floor, and some distance below the top of the door, having a lower end pivoted below on a stationary floor support, whereby said arm occupies an oblique or inclined position when the door is inclosed position,

'roviding for said pivoted point a curved path of travel on the line of a circle passing through the middle portion of the door, but

whereby said arm is vertically disposed when the door is in overhead open position, to support the door horizontally, whereby said tracks and said arm co-operate to support the door in horizontally disposed position overhead, with the lower edge of the door some distance inside the doorway, when the door is fully open, whereby the lower'edge ,of the door describes a curved path of travel,

, arm to assist in raising the-door into open' position, with increasing leverage from the closed to the open position of the door. and serving to ease the door gently into closed position c 4. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with a similar arm, the two arms being disposed respectively at opposite sides of the doorway, shorter arms rigid with said first mentioned arms, and springs connected at one end to said shorter arms, and fixed at their other ends adjacent the floor.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising a second arm rigid with and disposed at an angle to said first mentioned arm, and a lifting spring hitched to said second arm, said spring and arms having a normal position of less leverage when the door is closed than after the door is swung outward a distance at its edge, whereby the lifting leverage increases from the closed to the 0 en position ofthe door.

6. 2 structure as specified in claim 1, comprising a short arm rigid with and disposed at an angle to said first mentioned arm, and a lifting said sprlng and arms having a normal position of less'leverage when the door is closed than after the door is swung outward a distance at its edge, whereby the lifting leverage increases from the closed to the open position of the door, the maximum leverage position being substantially or approximately in the open position of the door.

7. In garage door construction, the combination of a vertical door rigid from top to bottomthereof, overhead horizontal tracks, means on said door to engage said tracks, whereby the door is adapted to open from a position, stationary brackets, a relatively long lever arm pivoted on each bracket and pivoted at its other end on the door, a relatively short lever arm pivoted on each 'means for connecting the springs at one bracket, rigid with the adjacent long arm on the same bracket, each short arm and its allotted long arm being substantially or. practically at one and the same side of the fulcrum on the bracket, a pair of springs to assist in raising the door into open position, and for cushioning the closing movement. of the door,

en with said short arms, and stationary means for holding the other ends of the springs stationary.

8. A structure as specified in claim 7, having adjusting means for changing the ten sion of said springs.

9. A structure as specified in claim 7 having means for changing the position of the springs on said short arms, thereby to change or vary the leverage.

Specification signedthis 4th day of October, 1930.

WILLIAM D. FERRIS.

spring hitched to said short arm,

vertical position into an overhead horizontal 

